MANHATTAN, Kan. – Heating deli meats or cold cuts can reduce the risk
of Listeria monocytogenes – a foodborne illness that may take up to three
weeks to make itself apparent, said Fadi Aramouni with the Food Science
Institute at Kansas State University.

"Among foodborne illnesses, Listeria has the highest rate of
hospitalization and death. It is particularly dangerous for children,
immunocompromised people, the elderly and pregnant woman. It can cause
miscarriage," he said.

Listeria monocytogenes can actually grow in a cold environment, such as a
meat case or refrigerator. That makes deli meats, cold cuts and soft cheeses
vulnerable," said Aramouni, who is a K-State Research and Extension food
scientist.

He recommends consumers reduce risks from such foods by buying only what
they can reasonably use in a day or two and then wrapping the foods well
before refrigerating, to prevent cross-contamination. Heating ready-to-eat
meats before eating – using a microwave or grill or cooking them in boiling
water – also helps make these products safer.

Scientists consider deli meats, cold cuts and soft cheeses the primary
hosts for Listeria monocytogenes. But, the bacterium sometimes grows in
salads, too. It could, for example, be traced to the cabbage in coleslaw.

More information on food safety and health is available at local K-State
Research and Extension offices and on Kansas Extension’s food safety Web
site:
www.ksre.ksu.edu/foodsafety/.

2) To Feed or Not to Feed Flowering Perennials

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The exceptions include such blooming beauties as the
astilbe, chrysanthemum, delphinium, lupine and summer phlox.

"They tend to need more fertilizer than the average flowering perennial.
I’d recommend feeding them every year," said Ward Upham, horticulturist with
Kansas State University Research and Extension.

In general, however, most garden perennials aren’t heavy feeders. They
appreciate an annual feeding while getting established. But, they can go
longer between meals after that.

"They’ll tell you when they’re starting to get into trouble," Upham said.
"They’ll get weaker, and their foliage will become a lighter green or even
yellowish."

The time to feed flowering perennials is in spring, just as their new
growth begins, he said.

The kind of fertilizer to use depends on the plant and the soil where
it’s growing.

"The only sure way to know is by learning about the kinds of plants
you’re growing and by getting a soil test every three to five years," Upham
said. "For example, Kansas soils tend to be fairly alkaline. If that’s true
where you live, your soil’s pH could be a problem for such acid-loving
plants as lupines, Oriental lilies, ferns and heathers.

"Many Kansas soils naturally have enough potassium and potash, too. If a
soil test indicates that’s so where you garden, you’ll know using a balanced
garden fertilizer could be a bad idea."

Any county K-State Research and Extension office can help gardeners get
their soil tested, he said.

For those without soil test results, Upham suggests babying acid-loving
plants: First, incorporate lots of peat moss into the planting bed. Then,
provide any needed feedings in the form of an acidic fertilizer.

"Fortunately, most perennials prefer a slightly alkaline soil. So, all
Kansans need to do is apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer," he said. "The
easiest kind to find is often a lawn fertilizer. The first number on a lawn
fertilizer bag is always much larger than the other two, indicating the
bag’s mix is mostly nitrogen."

3) Chickens and Old Paint Not a Good Mix

MANHATTAN, Kan. – In the course of his work as a poultry specialist with
Kansas State University Research and Extension, Scott Beyer fields a lot of
questions on everything from bird flu to the following, which could be a
down-home concern right now:

Question: I scraped some old paint off a garage and noticed that
my hens were scratching in the area. If this paint contained lead, could my
hens have eaten some chips and deposited lead in their eggs?

Beyer: Yes. Since birds often are attracted to shiny objects, they
may have actually picked out the paint chips. And, studies have found hens
that have consumed lead-based paint will lay eggs with high levels of lead.
Almost all of the lead will be in the yolk.

Beyer added, "Lead can be a serious threat to mental development in
children. If you have old barns or houses with peeling paint, either test
the paint for lead or keep your chickens away from it.

"Kansas has weak laws when it comes to lead-paint testing, so you need to
be proactive and have it tested if you want to be sure."

4) Green Peas Ready to Harvest by June

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the stalwart few, St. Patrick’s Day signals the
time to plant potatoes. But, many gardeners have room for another vegetable
that also likes cool soils – plus brings quicker results.

"All three types of peas will mature by early to mid-June, unless you
make successive plantings. In that case, you’ll have peas until hot summer
weather kills the plants," said Chuck Marr, horticulturist with Kansas State
University Research and Extension.

"If the soil isn’t wet, you can plant peas in Kansas any time from early
March to late April," he said. "The seeds will wait and germinate whenever
soil temperatures reach 40 degrees."

Pea plants are fairly flimsy. When the vines enlarge and pea pods start
to develop, the plants tend to flop over. So, Marr recommends seeding every
two plants or two rows of peas about 6 inches apart, so the "couples" can
support each other.

"That’s a lot easier and cheaper than trying to construct a plant-size
string trellis," he said.

5) Kids a Cookin’ - Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies

To give youngsters more confidence in using a slow cooker, this
recipe guides them in making chicken with a twist. The nutritious, one-dish
meal is from Kansas State University Research and Extension’s Family
Nutrition Program. It makes four servings.

Get a head start on this meal by preparing the chicken and vegetables the
night before and storing them in the refrigerator until time to assemble
ingredients. Place the prepared potatoes in a bowl of water

that’s covered tightly with plastic wrap. Store the cut carrots in a
covered bowl or plan use baby carrots. Cut the chicken skin loose, pull it
off, trim away any fat that’s not attached to the meat, place the meat in a
bowl and cover it, too.

You can substitute black pepper for the lemon pepper seasoning, if you
like. You also can substitute the chopped garlic in a jar you find in a
grocers’ produce section for the freshly chopped garlic in this recipe.

Young cooks often think a clove of garlic is the entire garlic bulb or
head – which can lead to STRONG results. Each garlic bulb you buy is made up
of many sections, each one of which is a clove. As needed, you pull these
cloves off individually, peel away their outer covering and then dice.

Safety Tips:

To promote food safety, use the cutting board to cut washed vegetables
first. Use it to the remove skin and fat from the chicken second. Then wash
hands, counter tops, cutting board and knife in hot, soapy water.

Before eating, check chicken’s temperature to be sure it’s done. Place
the meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat (making sure the
tip doesn’t stick out the other side). Keep the thermometer in place until
the gauge stops moving. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature
reaches 180degrees.

Kids a Cookin' is an educational program produced by Kansas State
University Research and Extension's Family Nutrition Program and funded by
USDA's Food Stamp Program through a contract with Social and Rehabilitation
Services (SRS). More information, more recipes and cooking tips, and a link
to a Spanish version are available on the Kids a Cookin' Web site:
http://www.kidsacookin.ksu.edu.

K-State Research and
Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural
Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to
generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans.
Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has
county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and
research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in
Manhattan.